


Don't Go Where I Can't Follow

by JustSmileStuffHappens (ksz13)



Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2021 [5]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Abduction, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Breaking and Entering, Crimes & Criminals, Gun Violence, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Injury, Injury Recovery, Kidnapping, M/M, Matter of Life and Death, Near Death, Near Death Experiences, Sacrifice, Separation Anxiety, Separations, Shooting, Theft, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:16:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29896188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ksz13/pseuds/JustSmileStuffHappens
Summary: March 5th - Day 5: Eddie + fave quote said about him /March 5th - Day 5: “Please don’t do this.” + sacrifice
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Eddie Diaz Week 2021 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191944
Kudos: 70





	Don't Go Where I Can't Follow

**_Don't Go Where I Can't Follow_ **

It was a routine call for a house fire. Only a car accident and a work site incident both down the street and one block over from them came quickly after as they were wrapping up the scene.

They were the closest response unit that was available though.

The ambulance with Hen and Chimney went to the farther one as Bobby told Eddie and Buck to take a med bag for the closer.

They were faster to arrive than another ambulance at least and would continue on there until they got radioed that one was on route. A life could be saved and they'd regroup in a bit after. 

Buck and Eddie were coming up to the scene to see a man sitting with his arm wrapped in a towel.

"We're L.A.F.D. Can you tell us what happened sir?" Eddie asked the patient taking charge as Buck followed his lead.

The guy looked kinda nervous and pretty young to be working on building a place like this. 

"I- it fell and cut my arm bad." The kid, maybe barely in college or out of high school said.

Eddie told him he was going to take a look and prepared for the worst. But the cut wasn't deep and they could patch this kid up.

"You're gonna be fine. But you should get to a hospital though after this just in case and take time off to heal properly from it."

He set about treating it with Buck handing him what he needed from the bag either before or quickly after Eddie asked for it.

Eddie put a reassuring hand on the younger man and nodded.

Buck was talking to the guy he was working for and giving him a look. Eddie was about to cut in and make sure Buck didn't start a fight on the kid's behalf. 

The best they could do is say this builder needed to be checked for safety regulations.

The main guy thanked them and told the youngest he was out until he could lift again.

Eddie wrote down a number for the kid before they left them.

They were on their way back when a car pulled over in front of their path on the sidewalk.

Both of them immediately noticed the gun pointed out at them from the passenger side.

Their hands went up and they couldn't reach for their radios without their actions being seen.

Buck got closer to Eddie but he knew it wasn't out of fear or at least not for Buck himself.

Eddie mentally tried to push a thought into Buck's head not to be a hero and get a deadly reaction out of these people.

"We don't have any cash and if this is about drugs we don't carry anything but low grade meds. We're not a pharmacy." Eddie told them, tried to dissuade 'em.

Their uniforms would back up Eddie's words to these guys. They were just firefighters to the untrained eyes but paramedics.

"Get in the van." A guy who looked burly in the passenger seat with the gun told them. He sounded cocky with his gun but Eddie knew he could take him.

"We're not going anywhere. Just leave." Buck told them taking a step forward to angle himself in front of Eddie's own body.

He hated that. Knew what it was for. "Buck." Eddie warned him.

"Then we shoot you both." The man said from under a ski mask. They could only see his eyes past it covering his entire face.

Eddie swallowed and prepared to tackle Buck or pull him away. If they ran and found some cover maybe this guy would give up.

"I know my way around a few businesses. Leave him and I'll get you into them pretty easy." Buck offered them. Offered up himself. Damn him for doing this.

Eddie couldn't contradict him without possibly getting them both shot now. Buck made this situation even harder to handle.

"I can't let you take him." Eddie said. "I'm in charge of him." Technically he was, Eddie was lead right now until they rejoined the team and Bobby again. 

Where were the others? Even if they showed up and found them things could get worse from there being more witnesses and scaring the guy with a gun.

The gun was trained on Buck as the man looked appraisingly at what he had just offered to them.

"How would you know that?" The big guy asked as the skinnier one behind him in the driver's seat looked around. Scared?

"I was a fire marshal for a bit. We need to know building specs and check them out, inspect 'em. I did a few smaller businesses that will be closed until they open in the afternoon." Buck said, moving closer slowly.

He was trying to get his point across and leave Eddie behind. Save him from getting shot. No.

Eddie grabbed Buck's jacket and wasn't about to let him go.

"Alright. You come with us. But you're taking your buddy's radio. Give us your phones too."

Fuck. Eddie was gonna be stranded and unable to tell the others about Buck's abduction.

"Don't-" Eddie pleaded. It was directed at Buck but said aloud. The other guy could take it too. 

"It's gonna be okay Eddie." Buck nodded as he grabbed Eddie's radio and put his hand out for his phone, didn't reach in his pocket.

"Buck-" Eddie said while looking between him and the gunman.

"Hurry the fuck up!" The man with a gun said as Buck reached for Eddie's stuff and then turned.

He tossed their stuff in the van and climbed in with them. 

This could be the last time Eddie ever saw Buck. He had to act. Even if it meant he might get shot. It would hurt but he could-

What would he tell Chris if-?

"Eddie." Buck maintained eye contact with him as the door closed with him crouched in the back of the van. 

He was making sure Eddie didn't risk anything, begging him not to get shot. Before Eddie could move closer they were pulling away and Buck looked away as he slid the door closed on command from the guy in front.

Eddie didn't run. He had to wait. See the direction they went in then report it to the others along with a description of the vehicle and the guys, keep track of it all until he could tell the others.

They pulled off in the dark blue van with no plates on it. Ironically heading towards the direction they were going back to in order to regroup with the crew.

They turned as Eddie saw the fire truck coming further off.

Eddie ran to catch up with them now free of the vans view.

They stopped in the middle of the street as Eddie got in.

He immediately started filling them in just as they were asking where Buck was. Eddie heard as Bobby quickly radioed it in.

They could catch up to them but the man still had a gun that he could use on Buck as a hostage.

\--

The trip back was silent for Eddie as Bobby tried to reassure him Buck was going to be okay. The cops would find him and they'd have him back in order to tell him off for what he did. 

Eddie couldn't laugh at that.

Chimney was torn between telling Maddie about what happened or holding off.

The firehouse was quiet as they couldn't do more than sit or eat. None of them were hungry.

Moving around performing duties occupied their minds at least.

Eddie wanted to punch the bag or run out of his skin on the treadmill but decided on checking the truck for now.

Their radios and phones were found trashed a few blocks over but not smashed at least.

The van was found too but empty as they likely switched it over to another vehicle in some carpark without cameras.

Still there was no sign of Buck. They still had him with them.

When word of a silent alarm going off was relayed to them they awaited an update.

They weren't the ones called to the scene as they wished to be.

Bobby came up from his office to inform them Buck was currently in the hospital but recovering.

He had a punctured lung from being shot and they could see him once the relief crew switched in to cover them all.

Eddie was ready as soon as Bobby let them get changed. Chimney and Hen would follow with Bobby after him.

Eddie getting to the hospital first didn't change much though. He did meet Maddie in the waiting room as he sat next to her.

"I- I'm sorry. I couldn't stop them. I couldn't stop him." Eddie told her. Awaiting any anger at him.

None came. 

"I know you did. It's hard talking him out of things when he's got his mind on it." She told him.

Eddie nodded and gave her a hug as they waited together.

"Any news yet?"

"Still in surgery." She said.

Chimney came to take Eddie's place as he and Hen went to get everyone else some coffee.

"He'll pull through." Hen said. 

"He'd better. I need to tell him off for what he did." Eddie said.

He knew he'd hold it off for a few days until Buck was better.

"I think Bobby's first in line." She joked and they went back.

\--

Buck was finally out but still unconscious as Maddie and Chimney went to join him.

A half hour later he was up and Chimney said he was talking.

Bobby and Hen went next switching with Maddie and Chim.

That left Eddie alone with his thoughts. With what could have happened? What did happen? 

Buck may not be dead but he was going to take a while to recover from his punctured lung.

But he'd survived. And that was a start. Eddie wanted to see him already but feared what he'd say.

Hen and Bobby didn't take as long with Buck as Maddie and Chimney had initially been.

Chimney patted Eddie's arm in support or was he just letting him know that it was his turn.

When he got to the room he was greeted with a grimace.

Whatever anger for Buck's own personal safety was floored by the look of him in that bed. Too many times had he been there in similar circumstances. 

Bobby was right before. 

He walked in and came over to stand by Buck's hospital bed.

"I-" - "I'm-" They both started.

Eddie nodded for Buck to go first, was he in any pain? 

"I'm- I had to. I couldn't let them take you too." Buck said softly.

Eddie sighed and ran his hand across his face slowly.

"Buck. I- I get it. I would have done the same. But- don't do that again? I can't have your back if I'm not with you." Eddie said, pain deep in his voice.

"See that goes against me having your back though Eddie. I- it was a risk I was willing to take. They were sloppy. I- I got 'em" He laughed hurting himself in the process. "I led them into a small business with a smaller safe. They shot me and left me to go in and get it. But they didn't have the code to get out." Buck looked up at him.

"How did you know about any of that though?" Eddie asked. "What if they had dragged you in with them while bleeding?" 

"I wasn't lying about knowing some stuff. I got to talking with the owner of this place and knew he upped his security before. They left me to live or die but got stuck in a box instead." Buck smirked, triumphantly nodding.

Eddie took his hand and sat down beside him in a chair.

"That- that was smart thinking. For a dumb decision." Eddie shook his head and gulped.

"Hey. Don't make fun of me, I'm injured." Buck whined.

"I'm sorry. 'Was only teasing you." Eddie laughed and squeezed Buck's hand gently.

"I uh. I thought of what might happen and- I didn't want to miss seeing you guys." Buck said.

Eddie didn't know what he'd do if-

"Well you didn't. And- you can't do that again. I'll take being with you over being safer any day."

"I can't say it'll be easy. But I'll try Eddie." Buck said with a nod.

"Did you- not wanna see me?" Eddie asked him then.

"Huh? No." Buck shook his head. "I- knew it would be hard. I needed to be ready, in case you were angry with me."

"Oh, Buck, I was angry. But not at you man. At the situation and those two guys. I can't blame you for being you. It's so you are and I love that about you," Eddie nodded biting his lips.

"They got more than what they came for. Can you believe they just wanted to steal our uniforms?" Buck laughed breathlessly. "But I got their attention and tricked 'em good."

Eddie shook his head. "Yeah. They didn't know who they were dealing with." He rubbed his finger over Buck's hand.

"Ha. If it would have been you, you'd have had his gun out of his hand or something cool." Buck mused, eyes different now.

Oh. The pain medicine was probably starting to take hold.

"Let's leave the what ifs. I'll take what we got. I need to call Carla but I'm not leaving yet. Get some sleep, you need it. I'll be right here Buck." Eddie told him.

"Thanks Eddie." Buck looked to be losing against the drugs. 

He was out and his hand went slack in Eddie's own but his chest and the monitor spoke to Buck's being alive, healing.

Eddie got up to leave and not wake Buck with his phone call.

"We can't keep doing this." Eddie said, to them both.

"Got your back." Buck muttered so low Eddie almost didn't hear.

"And I've got yours." He froze in the doorway staring back at him.

  
Someone had to have his back as he had everyone's, and it was him.

They'd always be there for the other. An unbreakable vow. 


End file.
